


Bring Your Daughter to Work Day

by Lt_Kickbutt



Category: RWBY
Genre: Bring your daughter to work day, Father-Daughter Relationship, Fluffy, Gen, July Moncon, Office Work, SDC, Sister-Sister Relationship, r/RWBY
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-24
Updated: 2016-07-24
Packaged: 2018-07-26 09:01:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,369
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7568185
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lt_Kickbutt/pseuds/Lt_Kickbutt
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Papa Schnee and the Schnee Dust Company take bring your child to work day very seriously. Although they can't always participate this year Weiss gets to join her sister and father for the first time. Finally able to see what keeps her father working Weiss is determined to make a great SDC employee.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>My submission for July Moncon "Fluff" and "Your favorite character" (aka Schnee family!)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bring Your Daughter to Work Day

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to all the RWBY redditers who helped me fill out employee names! Heres a link with the lists.
> 
> https://www.reddit.com/r/RWBY/comments/4ttvnc/need_a_few_more_rrwbyers_help/
> 
> I think LancasterisCannon is the only one I really took liberty on the name, you are now Lani C. :P I hope you enjoy your role. I tried my best to get everyone who offered in here! Most names were just a mention, if the character has dialogue I came up with role prior to the name and used the name to fill.
> 
> If you are voting please do not vote on the merit of your name in the story, I would feel bad if I cheesed any votes that way, it was just for fun. If the odd names take you wildly out of the story I apologize, I tried my best to remedy that knowing it would happen.

To: All Schnee Dust Company Employees

From: Papa Schnee, CEO and Owner of Schnee Dust Corporation

Subject: Bring Your Child to Work Day!

Attention employees,

Tomorrow is one of our annual “Take your Child to Work Day” on the calendar. All employees with last name N-S who registered their child or children on the TYCTWD website are encouraged to bring their child or children tomorrow. Please check in with them at the front desk when you arrive so they can receive their name tag badge, and tour time.

There will be two tours tomorrow for the children, one at 9:00 a.m. and the other at 1:00 p.m., after lunch. The tour will take roughly two hours, depending on questions, and afterwards each child will be returned to their parent to spend the rest of the day.

A pizza lunch will be served to any parent/child with a name tag badge at 12:00 until 1:00. Alternatively, you and your child or children may bring your own lunches and lunch break at your discretion just like any other day.

When not on a tour children are encouraged to roam in safe areas on any floor and encouraged to ask respectful, pertinent questions of any employee. Employees are encouraged to take the time to answer any and all questions. Remember, it is up to us to encourage the thinkers, entrepreneurs, and revolutionaries of the next generation for the good of Atlas and the SDC.

 

Two o’clock ticked down on an average day on the eleventh floor of SDC headquarters in the city of Atlas. Getting up to stretch their legs and grab a drink four co-workers gathered around the break room bubbler for their hourly ten minute break. Being the fifth or so of these ten minute breaks today, and no colossal problems to complain about, the four sipped their water or coffee quietly, exchanging glances, or just looking out the window.

The fifth member of their group arrived just two minutes late, but quickly earned everyone’s attention as he opened his mouth to speak, “Did you guys see? Tomorrow is a take your child to work day.”

Losing all hope for meaningful conversation, for surely they had all spoken about their involvement or detest of the event to fill out some prior ten minute silence, they simply nodded and shrugged away their answers. Undeterred he continued, “I heard Mr. Schnee himself is participating.”

“Winter is coming?” The young lady filled her cup again with water as she spoke, “That’s not _totally_ uncommon.”

“No. Not just Winter. He’s bringing Weiss with him too, for the first time.”

“Where did you hear that?” The group gathered back up closer to discuss. None of them had ever spoken to Mr. Schnee, in fact an employee would have to arrive obscenely early or leave late at night if they wanted to catch him in the lobby or on the elevator. The eleventh floor had nothing to do with Schnee patriarch himself, they only worked on international dust exports.

He took a breath recalling the important names, “Well… Itmakessence, over in international taxes, has a brother upstairs in human resources, who is really close friends with Challos, who used to carpool with Mr. Schnee’s personal secretary before she got promoted. They’ve stayed close friends. So, I get this kind of info pretty regularly.”

“Yeah…Real direct line.” The group snickered but their informant still had more to share.

 “I guess Mr. Schnee takes the event really seriously. He writes the outgoing email himself.”

“No way he does that! He’s far too busy! Dontcha think?”

“I know for a fact he at least dictated the last sentence! Apparently he wasn’t pleased with participation last time.” Their informant stood up straight for his next original idea, “I bet those badges…they’re probably recording devices and cameras to spy on all of us!”

“And I bet they’ll be brightly colored pieces of laminated construction paper like every other year!” She scoffed checking her watch as the group started to move back to their desks on the other side of the floor.

He pressed on with his next point, “You really think he’ll just let Weiss and Winter roam around with no supervision like the other kids? They’re pre-teens and they’re worth billions!”

“Please. Winter walks around like a little tyrant whenever she’s here. She could kick all our asses even if we jumped her at once.”

“That’s not true.” A short, timid looking bear faunus girl in the group caught everyone’s attention, “Platinumchallice told me before…” She started to mimic a booming, jovial voice, “‘If Winter starts giving you a hard time just ask her about her fencing lessons. She’ll soften right up.’”

“Ah, what does he know?”

“Apparently Winter has used the gym a few times. People all claim they’ve seen, or knows someone who’s seen her in it.” Everyone in the group had a different image of a tiny armed twelve year old repping a different free weight lift with an enthusiastic Platinumchallice spotting her.

The young lady took another glance at the clock praying for even just two extra minutes to fly by in transition. With a grimace she got the last word in, “I hate these bring your kids to work day.”

The next morning the driver to the Schnee family opened the car in its normal parking spot outside the SDC. Bowing his head the Schnee patriarch stepped out of his car before turning around and offering his hand to his eldest daughter Winter, then his youngest Weiss. As the young girl froze looking up at the overwhelming architecture her father gave her hand a bit of a squeeze before pulling her along.

The three walked in an unnatural sync side by side that if an onlooker thought about would have frightened them. Luckily, they were elegant and poised in their best clothes as they strode up to the front door and stopped at the receptionist’s desk.

“Moring Mr. Schnee” the receptionist nodded before turning and lighting up with a smile, “Good morning Winter and Weiss.” He dipped under his desk as they responded and pulled up two grey, plastic cards on dark blue lanyards. He dangled them out and as the rotated the names “Winter” and “Weiss” came into view.

“I have very special employee badges for you both.” Weiss got up on the tips of her toes to lean over the counter to accept her badge. She hummed out a grin as she played with the card and watched her sister bow slightly so he could slide it onto her neck. “I have you both going on the nine o clock tour this morning. Which still isn’t for a little while yet. Just be sure to be in the lobby at nine, alright?”

Weiss nodded with a smile as her father and sister began walking towards the elevator. With a skip in her step she caught right up and the three walked side by side again in harmony. Weiss had the honor of pressing the elevator button and at this early hour the doors opened right up. Stepping in Weiss had the inside track again for the button panel.

“What floor father?”

“Fortieth floor.”

Weiss peered up at the panel heighted for an adult and spotted the fortieth floor at the very top. Although memory told her she had no chance at reaching something that high she didn’t want to fail at her first task as a Schnee Dust Company employee. Stretching out Weiss hopped up to make a stab at forty. The button numbered thirty-two lit up.

“Come on!” Winter snarled and struck the appropriate button as Weiss’ heart sank and she let out an inaudible squeak.

“Winter” Their father stared down Winter’s scowl, “It’s okay. We’ll make it just fine. Don’t get mad at your sister already.” They rode the elevator in silence all the way to the fortieth floor, with a fifteen second stop at the thirty-second.

Winter did her best to shake off her crankiness with a smile towards her baby sister, “Weiss. Just do what I do today. I know my way around.” Weiss looked up expecting the same scowl but her face lit up as she nodded in agreement.

The elevator doors opened to a slender dark haired lady at an expansive desk with the letters “S D C” written across it. Looking up she got up and strode confidently in front of Papa Schnee with a list of items in hand. “Sir, Vecchio health and safety called for you. President Zerosaber asked they speak to you about operations in Vecchio.”

His face contorted with disgust before opening his mouth, “Let’s just hope they can get something done today.”  She turned to walk Mr. Schnee to the door of his office handing him the schedule.  Butting in front of Weiss she had to give Rainey the right of way. Unperturbed, Weiss and Winter both had become acquainted with Rainey the receptionist before when she had to make emergency stops at the house on business.

Even visibly upset Mr. Schnee stride did not falter as Rainey worked to keep up and go through the itinerary. The four strode into the CEO’s elegant office, classically baroque with a desk of mahogany, leather chairs across from his, ornate couches, and a dry bar on the far wall. Rounding his deck he picked up the phone, speaking before punching in the number, “Rainey, could you please see to any breakfast for Weiss and Winter. I don’t know what’s in the breakroom up here, but I can compensate you for it.”

“Oh that won’t be ness-” her sentence stopped by a stern look as the operator on the other end of the line started to speak. Winter, well trained in how to conduct herself in his office took a seat on one of the couches. Weiss followed suit, touching all the expensive furniture on her way over. She had been around expensive furniture her entire life, but these pieces had lived their lives in constant proximity to her father, forty floors in the air, in his personal office. Imposing and eye catching, they felt special to the touch and Weiss smiled as she greeted them for the first time.

Rainey crouched down to eye level and spoke, “What do you girls like to have for breakfast?”

“Eggs benedict.”

“I like crepes with cream.”

Her jaw dropped kicking herself for presenting the option. She quickly remedied her mistake, “Well we have toast or cereal with milk if you want it.” Rainey got up beckoning the girls in silence and the three snuck out and down the hall as Mr. Schnee began to speak.

Rainey opened a cupboard in the next room and pulled out a box of Pumpkin Peat’s Frosted Flakes and three Styrofoam bowls. Handing the bowls to Weiss she set the cereal down on the table to fetch milk and plastic spoons.

“What are these made of?” Weiss rotated the bowls in her hand scanning each side as her sister snickered.

“It’s just Styrofoam, sweetheart.”

“Oooh. Of course. I’ve seen this before when the delivery man brought us our big TV.” Weiss’ wise smile of satisfaction caused the most perplexed blush from the young secretary.

 Rainey turned back into the fridge for her milk muttering, “You poor, poor, sweet, sheltered child.” Pulling the milk out and walking over she had a wide smile on her face, “Okay! Hold out your bowl for breakfast.” Rainey poured portions of sugar coated flakes into three bowls and covered with milk. Handing the girls spoons Weiss and Winter both prodded at their breakfast before nibbling at it.

Both girls stomached what they could and respectfully declined the rest. After breakfast Weiss waddled up carefully with her bowl, “I’m finished, where should I put my bowl?”

“Oh. Just throw it away, its disposable.” Her eyes lit up with realization as she bid her first Styrofoam bowl farewell in the trash can.

“Thank you for breakfast.” Both girls bowed their heads before the three crossed back down the hall. Rainey opened the door to her boss’ office and bid them through before returning to her desk.

Whatever had been discussed on the phone slowed down to a crawl as Papa Schnee held the receiver to his ear and scratched marks on his notes. Waiting to get a word in or just powerless to effect the conversation he hadn’t said a word as he watched his daughters silently slide through the door. Sitting in his dark leather chair with an imposing back he slouched forward over his desk. Weiss peeped her father slumped over. His hand made solid strokes of his pen to paper and Weiss inched closer.

“Uh huh. Yes. I…Go ahead.” He paid her no mind as Weiss got close enough to put her fingers overtop the desk. A full head taller than the desk when she stood on her toes and hoisted herself she silently watched with a smile. Glancing at his scratch paper Weiss gave out a whispered gasp.

Waiting to speak Papa Schnee had been doodling in the corner of his paper. A square wore two triangles on the top corners, then a triangle inside the square, three dashes on either side of that triangle, and he took his time with the S curl out the back. She watched his hand as he doodled mindlessly, smiling as his stern, affirmatives yeses and familiar breathing reminded her that this was indeed her father.

The tail of his cat curled down before he dashed up and cut it in half. Scribbling it out he startled little Weiss as his voice rose, “No! No! You have it wrong! You _must_ let my architects in. This isn’t going to work any other way. They’ve been stuck at the embassy for three days now!”

Weiss gave the soiled doodle a hard look over before she paced back to her older sister and whispered, “What do you think he’s talking about?”

“I’m not sure. I bet it’s important though. We should leave now to make the tour.” Leaving as quietly as they entered Weiss summoned the elevator and finally got to push her button. On the ground floor kids of all ages gathered around a young man with a white collared shirt and black slacks. He towered nearly a foot over even the tallest child. His name tag read “DonutKirby” and he introduced himself as such.

“Alright my future co-workers, the halls have been cleared out for our path around the building. I’m going to lead and the SDC security chief, Unjax, is going to follow behind.” Unjax, dressed in black with a thick belt holstering a flashlight and gun waved with little pageantry before the kids turned back. “Good! So stay between Unjax and I and feel free to ask questions of me whenever you like.”

As he continued to explain our sisters slid into the group, but did not go unnoticed. All eyes were on the Schnee girls as Weiss still managed to look excited hiding behind her older sister. The group started to move and climbed a set of stairs

“The second floor is end to end state of the art laboratories. The Schnee Dust Company employs the brightest and most ambitious scientists and chemists in the world.” In the middle of the hallway a single scientist loitered about in a white lab coat. “Here’s our head scientist now, Sonicblast.” With a smile on his face he curtsied out using his coat as a dress to a flurry of giggles and snickering.

“Everyone come and get a look at this through the window.”  The group of kids shuffled and shoved to get window space. Inside a woman in her thirties had her hands wrapped in heavy duty gloves reaching into a contained, reinforced box. She had a different colored vial in both hands.

“Northy is working with liquid dust crystals. Only recently the SDC patented a way to safely melt down dust. Since then we’ve been creating synthetic dust crystals, some of which are many times more powerful than natural dust crystals. I think here they are trying to combine ice and fire.”

“They don’t have much in common, but with a bit of chemistry and multiple tries even fire and ice can bond.” The scientist poured the two vials over an ice bath inside the box and it caught fire in a bright red flame.

The children let out a uniform “ooooo” as the flame grew and the scientists scrambled to study it. Amist the excitement Weiss tugged on Sonicblast’s coat. Surprised she passed on watching through the window, her cool, determined, demeanor caught him off guard.

“Oh miss Schnee! Are you enjoying the tour?”

“Yes sir” bowing her head, “I had a question. Have you ever met my father?” He raised his eyebrow wondering what she actually wanted to hear, but ultimately settling on the truth.

“No. No I’ve never met him myself, but I hear he is an exceptional man.” Winter, with an ear permanently looking out for her baby sister, soared over like a hawk.

“I’m sorry sir. She was told to ask only relevant questions.” Weiss opened her mouth to protest but decided against it when interrupted.

“Quite alright girls! I can say it is an absolute pleasure to meet the both of you.” After a brief period of testing the contained fire a series of extinguishers activated and smothered the fire out. A handful of questions were asked, each answer taking longer than the last, but in due time the tour moved again.

Becoming progressively more and more bored Winter trotted slowly to the back. Even falling behind Unjax who let it be due to the rumored wrath of Winter Schnee. On the next floor they got to stop at accounting for a positively riveting presentation by Orangerising. With Winter well in the back of the herd Weiss asked the same question of him.

“Have you gotten to work with my father?”

“Personally? Heavens no.  That’s well above me, Miss Schnee.”

The tour snaked its way up the floors, passed Liberator in marketing, Nightsliegh in human resources, and JW in public relations. Each inquired about their relationship to her father and each answered with a resounding nothing. The tour had another forty minutes and two floors planned when Winter grabbed Weiss from behind.

“I can’t take this anymore” Slightly trembling Weiss figured she had been doing something wrong again, “Come on, I have a friend  we can talk to.” With Weiss by the sleeve Winter covertly ducked down and away from the group. Avoiding Unjax she dashed corner to corner. The group had not stopped and as the mummer of children and feet droned away at the end of hall Winter figured they were safe.

Undetected at the elevator Weiss summoned it and the sisters had the elevator all to themselves when it opened. “Twentieth floor!” Winter’s mood had changed, enjoying sneaking around with an accomplice. Excited to meet someone her sister knew Weiss returned her sister’s gusto with a swift strike to the button.

They climbed up swiftly but had some time to fidget about. Winter had her hands clasped behind her back as her attention was sternly on the climbing floor number. She rocked back and forth on her heels with impatience. “You’re going to like the twentieth floor. It’s completely different than the others.”

The doors opened to a hallway beaming with natural sunlight due to three hundred sixty degree windows. Healthy plants were placed along the side of extra wide hallways as Winter led her sister. The first portal on the right led to a large cafeteria where workers were setting out pizza for lunch. Passing the cafeteria Winter took the next door and threw the double doors open.

Opening up to an expansive gym with machine weights, free weights, tredmills and elpicticals, and free space to hold classes a short, built man with a thick grey beard came storming out of his corner office.

“Little Schnee has returned to see me!” He threw out his arms for a hug with a smile knowing full well Winter would never do such a thing. His voice boomed through the gym and the half dozen or so employees using the machines all turned to look.

“Weiss, I’d like you to meet Platinumchallace. He runs the employee gym and is the SDC personal wellness trainer. Every Schnee employee in Atlas gets free access to this gym.” Turning back to the large man she introduced Weiss, “Plat, this is my baby sister Weiss.”

“Little Schnee and baby Schnee!” He held out his enormous hand with a boisterous laugh as Weiss took it struggling to shake it up and down.

“Pleased to meet you sir” Bowing her head slightly she looked his overly muscular body down and back up.

“Plat used to be a world champion weight lifter. A world champion, right here in father’s company.”

“Speaking of, little one, how is your bench press coming?”

“My max is one o five now.”

“Very good! Proper form helps a lot you see. What of your uhhh….fencing lessons?” Winter’s face lit up as she finally got to talk to someone she wanted.

“They’re so much fun, and I’m really good. I just started with a saber last week. It’s so heavy compared to the foil! So I really have to build muscle now.”

“You’ll come back to see me sometime? I’ll spot for you again.”

“I shall. I did have a good time last time.” Plat and Winter turned to look at the machines in use, watching red faced employee huff and puff as they ran on top of the treadmill. Weiss got their attention with her question.

“Excuse me sir…” Both Plat and Winter’s snapped around as they listened to Weiss, “Have you ever worked with our father? Or maybe he comes to your gym?”

Winter’s narrowed to a glare as she tried to figure her sister out, “Weiss, why do you keep asking that? It’s rude. Almost everyone who works here has never met dad.”

“Really?” Weiss’ eyes watered over as whimpered out her question.

“It’s true baby Schnee. You’ll have to go much higher than me if you want to meet anyone who actually works _with_ your father.”

“Winter could we go to the really high floors? I just want to meet some people dad works with.” Weiss pouted out, she had been adamant about her goal from the beginning but couldn’t have realized how few people actually interacted with her father.

“Of course we can. That’s why we’re here.” Winter and Weiss began to turn around when Plat stopped them.

“Wait! You don’t want to check out the huntsman?” Weiss ended back around, “Down the hall in the common space they have a huntsman showing off how to properly use dust crystals all day.”

“Weiss we should go check that out!” Winter coerced her sister but Weiss didn’t budge.

“I want to go upstairs. We’ve seen huntsmen many times before!”

Weiss stomped her tiny feet and refused to budge. Just as stubborn as her older sister the two bickered back and forth in the gym with half a dozen employees looking on and Plat chuckling away.

“Why don’t we just split up then!?” Winter yelled out to outdo her sister.

Pausing for a moment Weiss lowered her voice to an acceptable volume, “But…father said we should stick together.”

“I won’t tell him if you won’t.”

Both sisters froze as they stared each other down, only inches apart, slowly they both turned towards Plat and gave him a glare. Throwing his hands in the air in defense he spoke, “Don’t worry! I won’t tell him. Your secret is safe with me.”

Winter and Weiss split ways on the twentieth floor. Weiss headed back to the elevator to journey to the higher floors. Winter walked further down the hall to get a glimpse at this SDC huntsman.

Weiss tapped her foot impatiently as she had to wait for the elevator for the first time all day. Finally the far elevator opened up and she leapt towards the door. Turning the corner into the elevator she slowed way down as a trolley cart of mail and vase full of white roses caught her attention.

Inside the elevator she looked at the man behind the mail cart, who smiled at her, and then towards the panel. Floor twenty-five was the only button lit up, but it wasn’t nearly high enough. Turning back to the man before the door closed Weiss had a request.

“Excuse me sir, could you please hit floor number thirty-nine for me?” She looked up at him, then to the vase, completely mesmerized, and then finally back down with a fierce blush mumbling her dilemma, “I’m too short…”

“Of course Miss Schnee.” He spoke with a smile even to her surprise he automatically knew who she was. She had a burst of optimism, turning to talk to him as the doors closed.

“Have you ever met my father? What do you do?”

“Why, yes I have. I’ve given him his mail a couple times, though most times I just hand it to Rainey. I’m the mailman, SentientHam the mailman” he chuckled at his nickname.

Her face lit up in pleasant surprise as she finally got her chance to ask the follow up question, “Really?! Is he nice to you when you give him the mail?”

“Sure! He’s plenty nice. Not everyone is always nice when I have their mail, but he is.” The elevator rang and the doors opened to floor twenty-five. “Would you like to come with me? I could use some help actually.”

She looked up floor thirty-nine lit up and back to the vase of lovely roses as he struggled to push the cart and hold the vase against his chest. “O-okay.” Weiss stepped off the elevator and followed close behind SentientHam.

“Grab the stack of mail off the top. It’s in order.” Weiss and the mailman walked down the rows of employees as people would walk up and drop their outgoing mail in his basket.

Downstairs Winter hid behind the group surrounding the huntsman in question. He dazzled them with a display of brightly colored dust explosions from a pair of six shot revolvers. Perfectly under control the dust bullets knocked, lit a flame, and outright froze a series of plastic bottles set up to shoot at.

“This isn’t a huntsman!” The crowd in front of her parted in front of her like a curtain to a stage and she stepped through, he hands clasped behind her back. “I heard you were a huntsman. But these are just tricks.”

He looked around, noticing a group leaving to get back to work, “I’m a licensed huntsman for hire, miss and I know exactly what I’m doing.”

“That was hardly the optimal amount of dust.” She held out her hand requesting his weapon. The man, at least twice her age looked her up and down.

“Don’t think I don’t know who you are, Winter Schnee. I’ve spoken to your daddy about being here personally, and you’re interrupting.” He waved his gun maliciously at the girl and the onlookers all ducked in cover, “And no one messes with Donger! Not when he’s raising his six shooter!”

Unphased, Winter responded, “That seems awful dangerous sir.”

“EH?!” His face contorted as he got in close, “You think I don’t know what I’m doing?!” He waved the barrel of a gun waist high as his emotion got the better of him.  In an instant Winter had swiped the gun out of his, unloaded one of his ice dust bullets and examined it.

“Far too much dust, these are meant to immobilize, not popsicle.” She cracked the bullet open with practiced precision and carefully extracted the proper amount of dust before loading it again. Taking aim she peer down the sight at the final bottle and pulled the trigger.

The bullet missed, hitting something much more rigid and sending it ricocheting around the room. Moving so quickly the onlookers were unable to react until it final found a target, in a coffee mug. The victim whimpered out as he checked his own body before flipping the mug and watching his coffee slide out frozen. With an “uh oh” Winter dropped the gun, dashing out of the room and to the stairwell to find her sister.

Upstairs Handro Dilar, Amana, and Patmaster all got their mail without a problem from the new mail girl. Weiss and Sentientham gathered a bit of a following as employees trailed behind to see what Weiss Schnee would do. The final letter of the stack had been addressed to GYUZ and looking up Weiss spotted a desk with the matching name plate.

“Here’s your mail sir!”

He reached out to accept it when the mail man inturrepted, “Not that GYUZ. The other one. Look around the corner.” Peering around the bend of desk sure enough there was a second desk with the name plate GYUZ. Weiss blushed fiercely as she apologized and handed to the mail to the one, true GYUZ.

“Don’t worry about it. Happens all the time.”

With all envelopes delivered the only remaining package was the vase of roses. They had reached the other end of the floor and Weiss beamed with excitement wondering who had received such a lovely gift. “Could I deliver the flowers?”

“I think maybe I should carry them. They’re a little heavy and it would be awful to drop them” Weiss nodded in agreement as the mailman picked up another envelope, “but they came with a card. You can deliver this.” Handing the card over Weiss studied the name.

Approaching the very end of the hall Weiss spotted her address and rushed over to a thin lady with a headset on. She had caught Weiss approaching from a distance completely unaware of why as Weiss questioned her, “Are you Lani C?”

“I am!” She took off her headphones and noticed Sentientham turn the corner with her vase of flowers.

“We have your flowers!” Weiss handed Lani her card as Sentientham laid the vase on her desk. She admired them for half a moment before carefully ripping open her card.

“Who are they from?” Lani peered over the top of her card to Weiss still loitering around, and a couple of onlookers from afar.

“They’re from my husband. We’ve been married a year today.” Sentientham turned his cart around and bid Weiss a fond farewell as she gawked.

“Ooooh. Is he handsome?”

Lani nearly snorted laughing as she answered, “Yes. He is very handsome.”

“Good” Proclaiming with a smile on her face.

Still giggling Lani turned back to her computer and Weiss remained, staring at the white roses. Breaking her from the trance the phone on Lani’s desk began to ring. She moved her hand to her ear to answer on headphone, but stopped.

“Would you like to listen in? I’m part of the question and concern hotline you see on Schnee dust products.” Weiss nodded politely and Lani picked up the handheld and put it mute. Giving it to Weiss to listen Lani answered.

“Thank you for calling the Schnee Dust Company Q and C hotline. How can I help you?”

His voice came in loud causing Weiss to wince, _Yeah…I just bought some of your dust. The uhh…electrical kind. But I just spilt my drink all over it and now it’s hissing and shocking everything that comes near. What should I do?_

“Sir I advise you stay well away from the dust pile and go and fetch some cat litter or baking soda to absorb the water.”

_Okay so just smother it in cat litter?_

“Yes sir, that will render it inert.”

_Inert? Will I still be able to use the dust?_

“No sir. At that point the dust will be ruined.”

_Now just…hold on here. I spent a lot of money on this dust. Is the SDC going to refund me?_

“SDC can’t refund you for soiled dust sir.”

_Now listen here! You got to get me a discount or something to replace all this!_

Lani and Weiss exchanged looks as the employee hoped this wouldn’t get worse. “Sir there is nothing I can do in the way of discounts or refunds.”

_Well that’s great. Thanks for NOTHING! BIT-_

Lani dove for the end call button and hopefully made it in time. Weiss’ eyes went wide as she processed what happened, “Well, he wasn’t very nice.”

“No. No he wasn’t” Lani looked around nervously, not only did she just hang up on a caller, she got the bosses daughter cussed at, “Hey, Weiss. How about I let you have one of these roses and we _never ever_ tell your dad what you just heard?”

“REALLY?!” She bounced up and down nodding.

“Okay! Good” Lani removed a flower from the vase, “Let’s go get a cup with some water for you.” Lani walked faster than normal to keep up with Weiss as they headed back towards the elevator to the water bubbler. Taking a Styrofoam cup Weiss filled it full of water.

As it poured she imparted some of her wisdom, “You know they make bowls out of this too. They’re good for cereal.”

With renewed chuckling Lani answered, “I did know that. Thank you.” Filling the cup Lani placed the rose inside, “Be careful now. You might want to take that back to your fath-”

Weiss snapped around almost forgetting the reason she started, “Have you ever met him? My dad?” Lani hit the elevator button and the doors opened right up.

“Nope. Never have, but if he’s half as fun as you Weiss I think I would like to someday.”  Weiss stepped into the elevator with her flower and Lani reached in to hit the fortieth floor for her. “Now remember our deal. Don’t tell him about the phone okay, you can talk about the flower, and me, just not the phone call.” The doors closed as Weiss gave a smile and Lani let out a nervous sigh.

The elevator door opened on the fortieth floor to Rainey away from her desk. Weiss followed the path this morning and let herself into her father’s office. The door opened to an explosion of yelling, “I don’t care if they make hospitals out MUD AND GRASS in Vecchio! When I build something I want it to be actually SAFE for people to be inside it!” Papa Schnee’s entire body tensed up in response to the answer of his outrage. “Just…call me back when you figure it out.”

He pressed end call with authority and gave the phone a disgusted look before slamming the face of it against the desk four or five times. “Dad…I got you this.” Weiss lifted her cup meekly showing off her white rose to her father.

“Oh Weiss. I’m so sorry you had to hear that baby.” She came around to the other side where he took her flower and set it proudly on the desk. Hoisting her up on his knee Weiss got to sit at the desk of the busiest, most powerful businessman in all of Remnant, who unfortunately happened to be her only father in this world.

“Dad…” she whispered quiet and slowly, the tone she always took when Weiss could spot something wrong, “How come everyone I talk to downstairs said they never met you before?”

“They told you that? Just like that?” He craned his head to look into his daughter’s eyes.

“Well. I asked them.”

“Weiss, I employ nineteen hundred people in this building alone. Another eight thousand in the kingdom of Atlas, and then thousands more across all of Remnant. It would impossible for me know many of them at all.”

“It’s just…It’s just I thought the reason you spent so much time here lately and not at home was because you had so many friends you like to spend time with here.”

Papa Schnee’s heart sank but his face only knew how to remain stoic. He spoke softly as he chose his words carefully, “Okay” hoisting Weiss back to the ground he got off his chair and crouched to her level, “Weiss, there isn’t anyone in this world I’d rather spend time with than you and your sister. I swear to you that. But when you get to be where I am, and you will one day, you’ll know that it isn’t just about helping you or your family, you can help the whole world.”

“And sometimes you’ll screw up. Sometimes you’ll put yourself or your family in front of the whole world, and it’ll be easy and you’ll be better off, but you can’t do that all the time.” Papa Schnee embraced his daughter and she back at him.

“Where is your sister?” Weiss’ eyes got wide against his shoulder.

“Uhh…She ran into someone she knew as we were getting in the elevator, she said she’d be right behind me.”

“Well. Let’s go fetch her.” The pair stood up and walked out together, Papa Schnee approached the elevator and called it up.

From around the corner Rainey ran in, “Sir! Where are you going?!”

“We’re going to get Winter and the three of us going to lunch.” Both Weiss and Rainey threw him a perplexed look.

“What if Zerosabers calls back?!”

Papa Schnee turned with authority and answered how he felt for the first time in a long time, “You tell him that he can figure out health and safety on his own! You tell him that I have missed dinner with my family for _two months_ on account of him! Tell him that I am taking my daughters out to lunch and will be taking my time.”

The door buzzed and opened to reveal Winter she jumped back overly shocked as Papa Schnee stepped inside with Weiss by the hand. “Well done Winter, perfect timing.”

Winter answered smoothly, “Of course father” taking her position on his right side and not speaking until they had reached the car.

**Author's Note:**

> Any comments or criticism would be greatly appreciated! I do write to try to improve my writing.
> 
> Good luck to all competitors!


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